Honored Alumni Awards

For 60 years, the Honored Alumni Award has served as the highest honor bestowed upon Cal Poly alumni. The awards recognize alumni from each of the university’s six academic colleges, Cal Poly Athletics and the Cal Poly Alumni Association. Through their contributions to their fields, to Cal Poly, and their impact in their communities and beyond, our Honored Alumni represent the best of Learn by Doing.

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Liberal Arts

Chris Trapani

(Political Science, B.A., 1990)

Trapani is the founder and CEO of Sereno Group, a residential real estate company generating more than $3 billion in sales annually, which was named the “Best Place to Work” by the Bay Area News Group for eight consecutive years.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Engineering

John Nielsen

(Mechanical Engineering, B.S., 1965)

Nielsen is the founding donor of the Mustang ’60 Shop, an on-campus machine shop where students can complete the cycle of design from concept to finished product and gain confidence using manufacturing equipment.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Orfalea College of Business

Lisa Hufford

(Business Administration, B.S., 1993)

Hufford founded Simplicity Consulting in 2006, a marketing and communications consultancy. She is a founding member of the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Athletics

Steve S. Jones

(Political Science, B.A., 1992)

A football player at Cal Poly, Jones was named the top job creator for two consecutive years by Inc. magazine and has earned the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in addition to being a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Architecture and Environmental Design

Doug Lowe, FAIA

(Architecture, B.S., 1974)

Lowe’s skills can be seen in a variety of projects, including theme parks and hotels such as Disney’s California Adventure and Universal Studios Hollywood. He has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects for his humanitarian efforts.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Science and Mathematics

John Waggoner

(Biology, B.S.,1979, & Business Administration, M.B.A., 1989)

Waggoner co-founded HMS Global Maritime, the largest operator of high-speed car and passenger ferries in the nation and the first private high-speed vessel operation chosen to serve the United States military.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Paul Burkner

(Agricultural Engineering, B.S. 1964)

Burkner is known for his innovations and inventions in the field of custom agricultural machinery. The owner of several patents, Burkner co-founded Ag Industrial Manufacturing Inc. (AIM) in 1979.

2017 Award Recipient Video

CPAA Alumni Excellence

His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair

(Industrial Engineering, B.S. 1977)

His Excellency is the chairman of the Mashreqbank, the largest private sector bank in the United Arab Emirates. He leads the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, one of the largest privately funded philanthropic education initiatives in the Arab world.

2017 Award Recipient Video

CPAA Distinguished Service

Kelley Bannon Lashley

(Political Science, B.A., 1995)

Kelley Bannon Lashley graduated in 1995 with a degree in political science and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1999.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Sandra Gardebring Ogren Leadership Award

Randell Iwasaki

(Civil Engineering, B.S., 1982)

Iwasaki was responsible for the launch of the GoMentum station, an autonomous vehicle testing station, and is partnering with tech and automotive companies toward developing the next generation of transportation solutions.

2017 Award Recipient Video